Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-11-2019, 10:12 PM   #1
Jim Kroeger
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 47
Default Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

I recently had a brake job done here in California on my 1930 Town Sedan at a local shop. They turned my front drums as they were out of round but did not arc the used shoes to the newly turned drum . The car stops well with no pull either way after applying the brakes. After jacking up the car for some underneath cleaning I noticed some high spots and dragging in the front wheels as I spun them. I called the machinest and he said don't worry about it, after you drive the car for a number of miles those high spots in the shoes will bed in with the drum and go away. Is this correct? Thanks.
Jim Kroeger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 12:16 AM   #2
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 11,484
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Yes the high spots will ultimately wear down.
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 05-12-2019, 07:38 AM   #3
BillCNC
Senior Member
 
BillCNC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SoCal Desert
Posts: 826
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Like Brent said, the high spots will wear down. But keep in mind, those high spots are the only contact with the drum and probably making your brakes 80-85% useless, ... but slowly getting better every-time you use the brake.

The shoe's really should be arched for everyone's safety including your own.

Regards
Bill
BillCNC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 09:03 AM   #4
Jwilli
Senior Member
 
Jwilli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Kennesaw, Ga
Posts: 511
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Quote:
Originally Posted by BillCNC View Post
Like Brent said, the high spots will wear down. But keep in mind, those high spots are the only contact with the drum and probably making your brakes 80-85% useless, ... but slowly getting better every-time you use the brake.

The shoe's really should be arched for everyone's safety including your own.

Regards
Bill
Excellent advice Bill.
Jwilli is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 09:19 AM   #5
Charlie Stephens
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 7,017
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Jim,

If you put a more specific location in your profile someone might know of a local place you could have the shoes arced. It is possible they are working well because by chance the manufacturer arced the shoes too fit the drums you have. Have you tried returning them to the place you purchased them and asking them to return them to their supplier? I agree with the safety concern, you are going to have to decide if there is a problem.

Charlie Stephens
Charlie Stephens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 09:30 AM   #6
Dick Steinkamp
Senior Member
 
Dick Steinkamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 1,163
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillCNC View Post
those high spots are the only contact with the drum and probably making your brakes 80-85% useless
I think that is somewhat of an overstatement. If the brakes were 80% useless the car would not be drivable.

Newly turned drums and shoes that have been working in those drums are pretty close to as good as it gets. Arcing the shoes might give you that last 5-10%. The high spots will wear down quickly (BTW, even with arced shoes or shoes that have been in the drums for 10,000 miles you will STILL hear some high spots when you spin a wheel). If you are happy with the way the brakes feel, if you can slide all 4 wheels in a panic stop on dry pavement, I wouldn't worry about it.
__________________
All steel from pedal to wheel
Dick Steinkamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 09:34 AM   #7
holdover
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SW Virginia near the Blue ridge Parkway
Posts: 674
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

back in the late 50s to the mid 70s the local parts dealer where I lived at the time in Huntington NY, Suffolk Auto parts, would always arc the shoes to your drums, if you brought the drums in to them. Seems like auto shops got away from doing that with all the concern about asbestos dust. Brakes do work better from the start when this is done. One of my regrets a few years ago, Brent had a brake arcing machine at the Mid-Atlantic swap meet in Lurray VA, and I didn't purchase it..
holdover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 09:45 AM   #8
BillCNC
Senior Member
 
BillCNC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SoCal Desert
Posts: 826
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Math is an Absolute,...

Take a piece of chalk, ... rub it on your shoes covering them completely in chalk. Now go take your car around the block and then pull the drum's. You will see exactly how much braking contact you have.

Now calculate the square inches of contact vs no contact, ...

Sure, if your shoes have the same area of contact you might not have issues. However, that's rarely the case. If not, all the tires will grab differently and it can get bad.

Regards
Bill
BillCNC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 09:48 AM   #9
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 11,484
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Quote:
Originally Posted by holdover View Post
back in the late 50s to the mid 70s the local parts dealer where I lived at the time in Huntington NY, Suffolk Auto parts, would always arc the shoes to your drums, if you brought the drums in to them. Seems like auto shops got away from doing that with all the concern about asbestos dust. Brakes do work better from the start when this is done. One of my regrets a few years ago, Brent had a brake arcing machine at the Mid-Atlantic swap meet in Lurray VA, and I didn't purchase it..
I may still have one more as I have purchased some estates that had them in there. I am debating whether to drive up for Luray next weekend. Send me a PM if you still want me to look for one.
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 10:54 AM   #10
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Steinkamp View Post
I think that is somewhat of an overstatement. If the brakes were 80% useless the car would not be drivable.

Newly turned drums and shoes that have been working in those drums are pretty close to as good as it gets. Arcing the shoes might give you that last 5-10%. The high spots will wear down quickly (BTW, even with arced shoes or shoes that have been in the drums for 10,000 miles you will STILL hear some high spots when you spin a wheel). If you are happy with the way the brakes feel, if you can slide all 4 wheels in a panic stop on dry pavement, I wouldn't worry about it.

I agree !!! I first check to see how close the actual shoe matches the drum before I rivet on the lining . If the shoe is off very much I pick a better fitting shoe . My brakes will lock all four wheels without arcing the shoes . Ford didn't recommend having the brake drums turned. The only time that I would turn steel drums would be if I had installed brake bands and then only enough to true them . Steel drums are thin to begin with .
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 01:45 PM   #11
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Steinkamp View Post
I think that is somewhat of an overstatement. If the brakes were 80% useless the car would not be drivable.

Newly turned drums and shoes that have been working in those drums are pretty close to as good as it gets. Arcing the shoes might give you that last 5-10%. The high spots will wear down quickly (BTW, even with arced shoes or shoes that have been in the drums for 10,000 miles you will STILL hear some high spots when you spin a wheel). If you are happy with the way the brakes feel, if you can slide all 4 wheels in a panic stop on dry pavement, I wouldn't worry about it.
I agree with Dick. I haven't arced shoes in many years.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2019, 02:19 PM   #12
Jim Kroeger
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 47
Default Re: Is Arcing shoes necessary for brake job?

Thank you fellas for confirming what my mechanic had said about the high spots wearing down the more I brake. Good to see there are still honest ones around. I do like the chalk idea and will try that next time though I do feel that arcing should be performed when installing new shoes and drums.
Jim Kroeger is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:30 AM.